ScuzzBlog: Diaries February 2026
Entry 4th February 2026: Post 1: PS5 Game - Stray - Why gaming lost its way.
PS5 Game - Stray - Why gaming lost its way.
Been a long time coming this and a game that I was so looking
forward to playing. I do like cats and the idea of playing a
video game with the cat at the centre of its focus was always
going to be too tempting to ignore.
The game was first announced way back in 2020 and released in
July 2022. Created by Blue Twelve Studio and published by
Annapuma Interactive it follows the adventures of a stray cat
that must escape the walled city and return to the surface. The
city is populated with sentinels who are out to kill them. The
cat is aided on its journey by a robot.
Sadly I kicked this game into touch as soon as the cat began to
interact with the robot B-12. Not only did the cat suddenly find
the abilities to undertake tasks under direction, but appears to
communicate with the robot. Up to the point of meeting the robot
the cat acts and behaves like a cat and operates very much as a
cat simulator. Then suddenly he develops a notion that he can
interact with the environment by collecting plugs and sticking
them in sockets. He activates the robot and then uses a keypad
to escape the laboratory.
At this point I was fit to smash my head into the monitor and throw
the controller across the room. What is wrong with games makers
these days that they cannot create a game where you use your own
noggin. Sadly not. The game has to resort to the lowest level of
interpretation where clear 'human' communication is fed verbatim
to the player.
In truth this game could have been a linear platform game with an
auto button. Sure they used Unreal Engine 4, but why ? Its like
these studios have more money than sense. When I consider the
efforts made by just one or two guys to create masterpieces like
Manic Miner I scratch my head and ponder just what has the gaming
industry become.
This game won the PlayStation game of the year. No wonder I'm not
buying games anymore.
Seriously, a cat that can talk to a robot, and store memory data
about door codes retrieved from paint tins. I just sat there wide
eyed in disbelief and then consigned yet another game to the
garbage bin. Much like that Final Fantasy crap that I had the very
sad misfortune to download. And they all cost money.
OK what is wrong. Simple. You can throw as much clever game engines
at the game but it don't make for a entertaining game. This game
has you negotiate environments clearly marked with an 'X'. and
provides but one route through the world. The spaces are dark and
miserable and the cat hardly behaves like a true cat. They even get
you to use the left and right triggers to imitate scratching and
yet its all for nowt. In no time at all the cat is provided with a
back pack and is magically able to interact in human style with a
bloody robot. The game sinks down the drain in seconds.
Why couldn't the cat simply stay as a proper cat? Why did it need
the robot? Why did this game need Unreal Engine 4? Why did it take
all those years to create a formula single person plus drone type
adventure game, that in the end could have been any character you
like. ITS BORING. A cat is a naturally agile and intelligent creature.
It can climb walls, jump large spaces, scale the most difficult
of obstacles. It is mindful of its environment. Stealthy and calm.
It is also a fearsome creature when roused. When you mix all that
into a skill set you already have a more than capable creature that
you can wend through any dangerous environment. That was all that
was needed, plus better scenery, a more interesting environment
and a team of about six creating a basic platform game that was
fast and furious and ENTERTAINING.
Enough... The PS5 is turning out to be a bit of a dead duck. Even
worse than Windows 11 or the Samsung Smartphone. Man have I wasted
so much money on crap products this year. I sense the current world
industries supporting such things have lost touch with their base
roots to create what I call 'food without taste'. Having all the
constituent aspects of food but missing the main ingredient.. taste.
Seriously I could design a game based on chucking pebbles in a pond
that is more entertaining than this kind of stuff.
Must be getting old. Never mind. Happens to us all. Back to Warcraft
and Stellar Blade... as you do.
Guess I have to wait a little longer for some clever sod to make a
game worthy of expending my time.
PS5 Game - Stray - Why gaming lost its way.
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